Night Comforts
by throwmesomeburntbread
Summary: Post Deathly Hallows. Hermione gets comfort from Ron after she has a nightmare. Ron/Hermione. R&R. One-Shot.


**Randomly wrote this for a prompt on Livejournal, and I thought i'd share it with you. Reviews keep me writing!**

**Be nice! :)**

**Disclaimer: Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Harry Potter characters all belong to J.K Rowling. I only make them do things.**

xxxx

It was late. The moon was shining high up in the night sky above the Burrow, and Ron stirred in his bed. He had trouble sleeping for the past few weeks, and his sleeping patterns were messed up. He got to sleep late every night and woke up late; which he hated.

Although, he did enjoy the lay-ins, which he's able to have now before he starts working in the shop with George.

Ron kept having nightmares. Every single night, he'd have a different drama in his dreams, which caused him to wake up in a blind panic, and even go into everyone else's rooms to check on them.

Just the other night, he woke up in a cold sweat, looking over to make sure Harry _was_ and truly alive ,after dreaming that he'd fallen down a well. He had no idea where all these random things were coming from but he'd wish they'd just stop.

_Maybe I better stop eating rubbish before I go to bed_ he thought to himself, turning over in his bed and staring out the window of his bedroom. Light snores from Harry were heard, but that didn't disturb what he was invisioning.

Ron was sure he wasn't the only one having nightmares at night. He had Ginny sometimes get into his bed and need a hug before going back, another time, Harry had woken, needing a quick re-assurance and a chat. Ron was still awake at that time, reading _'Fail-Safe Ways To Charm A Witch'_ by wand light under his blanket.

Also, Hermione had popped in some nights.

_Hermione_

Yes, Hermione had peeped her head in through the door various times, and at one time, her eyes damp from tears. When she explained them, sometimes they were worse than his, and he was surprised at how calm she had been when explaining them. He sometimes hoped she'd get a nightmare, so she'd come into his bed again. Hermione would climb into his bed, and he'd either hold her, without saying a word, or they'd hold hands.

Nothing else happened.

Since the war, they hadn't kissed again. Ron couldn't understand why, but he didn't want to rush into anything. He'd wait an eternity for Hermione; although he felt although he had, already, but he only wanted her to be happy and to launch into a relationship when she was ready. He already was. But he didn't want to risk anything. He didn't want to lose her. And Ron didn't want to come across as a randy git-

"Ron?" called a faint voice from the door.

He whipped his head around and saw a sad-looking and exhausted Hermione on the other side of the dark room. Ron gave her a smile, and lifted his covers up in invitation for her to join him. She sped over and slipped her legs in, next to his, before he covered the rest of her with his orange Chudley Cannons blanket.

"Warm?" he asked, quietly.

She nodded. "Thank you"

His arms automatically engulfed her in comfort, warmth and protectiveness, as if he just read her mind. She buried her face into his neck.

Ron couldn't be happier when he was around Hermione. She was everything to him, and whenever he was around her, he knew everything would be okay. They hadn't fought in such a long time. That was a big change for them, and Ron liked that. He just hoped that they'd both make an effort to keep it up. It made them stronger as a couple- well– not really a couple, but as.. friends.

_Bugger!_

He glanced over the edge of the bed, and realised that he'd left '_Fail-Safe Ways To Charm A Witch_' out. He was reading it the night before, and forgot to put it away. He knew Hermione would find it and his chances would be blown if she knew he was getting advice from a book. Ron did want to move it, but didn't want to get up incase she went away, again.

Making him jump, Hermione fidgeted in his arms, and he pulled his arms away a few inches for her to re-adjust.

"Sorry" she muttered. "Just getting comfy"

Ron grinned. "Am I not comfy enough to lean on?" he asked.

"Of course you are" she told him, "Do you want me to leave you to sleep, Ron? -"

"-No, no, stay" he pleaded. He cleared his throat, and added on, "-well, not trying to sound desperate, but it would be nice to have your.. presence and company"

Hermione had to laugh. She let out a small laugh, very quietly, and snuggled up closer to him. Ron reached down and took her hand, stroking this thumb over the top of her hand, affectionately.

She looked up at him, and her eyes twinkled. Her grip on his hand got tighter, and he felt his stomach flutter.

"Did you have a nightmare?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes - it was dreadful!"

Ron turned on his side, and faced her. With one hand still holding her's, he reached his other hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Tell me what happened"

Hermione blushed, slightly. "No, no, it's okay"

"-No, tell me" he said. "It'll make you feel better. Trust me"

"Well, okay" she said, quietly. "But promise you wont laugh?"

He nodded. "Promise. And I wont tell a soul. You can trust me"

She smiled at him, again, then her face fell to a frown. "Well, I was sitting in your kitchen, downstairs, and.. um..y-you came, holding hands with La-Lavender"

Ron looked deeply in her eyes and saw the pain., She was really hurt by him and Lavender, and Ron never realised that it hurt her that much. His thumb stroked her hand, again.

"- and Harry came in after you two, and said that he-he doesn't want me to.. be with you two anymore. Friendship-wise"

He blinked at her.

"So, Harry kicked you out of our friendship... trio, as you can call it"

Hermione nodded, and a tear fell down her face. "Harry said some harsh things. He called me a Mudblood. It was like he turned into Draco Malfoy all of a sudden. And you started snogging Lavender by the back door, and Ginny ignored me when she walked in, and your mother told me to leave the house and to never return, and Fred-"

Tears were spilling out of her eyes more, her sniffs getting louder by the minute. Ron was nervous that Harry would wake up, but he couldn't care less at that moment. Hermione was crying. She was so hurt, and he couldn't bare to see her in such a state.

"Oh, bloody hell., Hermione" he muttered, letting go of her hand and embracing her, tightly. "You know we'd never do that to you. Your always welcome here, Harry is your best friend, he'd never say that to you, Ginny's the same. Mum loves you like a daughter, and i'll _never_ get back with Lavender. Ever"

Ron said 'never' as if he really meant it. Because he did mean it. He never even thought about Lavender, since breaking up with her, let alone ever think about getting back together with that ditzy maneater.

"Do you really mean it?" she asked, quietly, over his shoulder and into his ear. He rubbed her back, and kissed her head.

"I mean it" he told her, pulling away. "Your special to me" Ron blushed, "To all of us. We'd never do such a thing, how could you even think...well, dream it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know"

Ron leant forward and kissed her on the cheek, bravely, before feeling the tip of his ears burn a bright shade of red. "Get some sleep, 'Mione"

Hermione nodded, and wiped under her eyes.

"You look exhausted. Stop thinking negative, and think positive. We're all here for you, and you know that. Especially me. I'm always here for you" he told her. Hermione blushed, and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, Ron. Same to you, too"

She leant up and kissed him on the cheek. "I knew I could rely on you. Goodnight"

"Sweet dreams" Ron whispered. His arms went around her, Hermione's head resting on his rising and falling chest, and her eyes closed to get some much needed rest.

Ron felt her arms around his chest, as if he was a big teddy bear, and he felt sleep take him. He didn't have a nightmare that night for the first time in a long time.

_FIN_

xxx

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